Insurers Strive to Help Smokers Snuff Out Their Addiction

Aug 12, 2019

Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the percentage of Americans trying to quit smoking has leveled off in recent years, with most states experiencing no change in quit-attempt prevalence from 2011 to 2017. States have an opportunity to further increase the prevalence of quit-attempts, the study said, by implementing more proven interventions — such as “barrier-free access to cessation treatments.”
The Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid programs, and other federal regulations already require health plans of various types to cover a range of smoking-cessation treatments and support, and in some cases, remove barriers like prior authorization. But some insurers are opting to offer more robust tobacco-cessation programs to members — and they emphasize that such programs ought to be part of an overall wellness strategy.

To access this post, you must purchase a subscription plan. Click Here to purchase.